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DETACHMENT

Each one of us is fond of certain things in life, and the liking develops
into raaga, attachment or affection. When the things or persons we like part
from them at the end of life's journey, we are afflicted with grief. Death
forcibly separates us from the objects of our attachment, resulting only in
grief. Death forcibly separates us from the objects of our attachment, resulting
only in grief all round. When we forcibly pluck an unripe mango, there is
weeping(flow of a white juice) both from the stem to which the mango had all
along been attached, and also from the mango itself. When the same mango is
ripe, it gets automatically separated from the stem and no weeping occurs.
Similarly we must develop the capacity to leave this world without regret when
death knocks at our doors.

How this is to be achieved is the problem of life. I shall illustrate the answer
to this question with a story. Once upon a time a wealthy person was living
in the French territory of India. For some reason, he apprehended danger both
to his person and to his wealth, were he to continue to live in the French
territory. Only a hill separated the French territory from the British
territory. If he could manage to transport his wealth, which was in the shape
of heavy gold and silver coins, to the top of the hill, safety and security
awaited him. But he found that the task of transporting all the silver and
gold coins was an impossible one, in the circumstances in which he was placed.
He was faced with the situation of leaving behind his immense wealth and
escaping only with his life. At that critical moment, a person with British
currency notes accosted him and offered to exchange those noted for the gold
and silver coins. The wealthy man converted his entire stock of coins into
portable currency notes and crossed over to safety. Similarly, we should be
able to convert all our worldly achievements and resources into the currency
Dharma, so that we can carry with us this Dharma, when the call comes to
quit this world.

Dharma is acquired through mind, speech and deeds. As both Paapa(sin)
and Punya(merit) accompany us after death, we must take care to acquire only
Punya. If we nourish in our mind passions like Kaama(desire) and Krodha(anger),
we will be acquiring only more and more sins. If we use our speech or power of
expression to kindle either Kaama(passion) and Dvesha(hatred), we will be doing
harm to others and thereby hindering our own emancipation. The gift of speech
should be employed only for doing good to others and repeating the Lord's name.
Similarly our physical strength should be utilised for serving others. Our wealth,
barring a portion we are obliged to leave to our children, should be utilised
for noble and charitable purposes. In this way, we can convert our material
resources and the power of our mind, speech, and body, into Dharma, the currency
note of Isvara, which is legal tender in all the worlds under His command,
and for all times. Dharma alone protects us in this life and accompanies the
soul in its onward march, after it casts off its covering we call body.

The process of developing detachment from objects of affection- changing over from
raaga to vairaagya - should start when we are still in the full enjoyment of
our senses. When a dispute is compromised, not by the judgement of a court, but by
agreement, the parties to the dispute part as friends. Similarly, we must mentally
become ripe, as the mango I mentioned earlier, and get ourselves detached from
our attachments. For that purpose we require the grace of Isvara. Sri Sankara
Bhagavatpada, in his Sivananda Lahari prayed to Isvara to save him with His grace or
mercy(krpayaa paalaya vibho) without minding his disqualifications. Let each of us
pray to Isvara to bless us with His grace, for that alone will accompany the
soul and be a source of constant strength.